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Ubiquitous computing and microelectronics: embedded systems
Mark Weiser (1952-1999), in his paper "The Computer for the 21st Century", describes environments saturated with devices, with computing and communication capacities, fully integrated in our lives, and that give us information related with our needs and with our surroundings, everywhere, every time, and in a transparent way. This new age of computing, imagined by Mark Weiser, is known as ubiquitous or pervasive computing, and it is now beginning to become a reality thanks to the recent advances in microelectronics.
Likewise, read the paper "Cramming more components onto integrated circuits" by Gordon Moore (1929) that I provided a link to. This article describes the trend of how many transistors can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit, electronic design enabled by semiconductor design. The trend of transistors doubling every two years (Moore's law) has already continued for more than half a century and is not expected to stop for a while despite repeated predictions that it would end soon.
These advances make possible to introduce computing power in smaller devices embedded in the physical world, and to the recent technology in wireless communications, that allow devices to communicate without wires. For pervasive computing to become a full reality, further research is necessary. The ubiquitous computing idea has recently evolved to a more general paradigm known as Ambient Intelligence (AmI).
Likewise, read the paper "Cramming more components onto integrated circuits" by Gordon Moore (1929) that I provided a link to. This article describes the trend of how many transistors can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit, electronic design enabled by semiconductor design. The trend of transistors doubling every two years (Moore's law) has already continued for more than half a century and is not expected to stop for a while despite repeated predictions that it would end soon.
These advances make possible to introduce computing power in smaller devices embedded in the physical world, and to the recent technology in wireless communications, that allow devices to communicate without wires. For pervasive computing to become a full reality, further research is necessary. The ubiquitous computing idea has recently evolved to a more general paradigm known as Ambient Intelligence (AmI).
Image courtesy of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (Xerox PARC), California (USA)
The new project that I am currently working is "Heterorred II". It is especially in the field of developing software technology able to support the deployment of new services in the home environment. The home poses special technological challenges, an important one being the need to connect together the usual devices there.
The following example describes a common scenario in this environment.
"Inside a room, a temperature sensor (e.g., an EIB/KNX sensor) measures the temperature in degrees centigrade. There is also a movement sensor near the door which registers the entry of any user. At a given time, Nekane enters the room. The room is empty and dark so an actuator turns on a light. At this time the temperature sensor registers a threshold value below that set by Nekane so that the heating valve actuator turns the heating on. Meanwhile, more people enter the room. Some of them are guests and therefore have no associated profile, so that the environment does not adapt to their needs. However, one of them is Gaizka, the home owner. Some parameters are set for Gaizka’s profile in this environment. Meanwhile, the room warms up until the temperature sensor registers a value greater than the upper threshold set by Nekane, perhaps due to the presence of more people. However, Gaizka is in the room and has the highest priority, so that the heating valve does not shut off. After a while, Nekane, Gaizka’s sister, insists that the heating be turned off, which Gaizka does using his PDA, causing the actuator to close the heating valve. When Gaizka sees that everyone is ready, he uses his PDA to start the DVD player and show the film."
The following example describes a common scenario in this environment.
"Inside a room, a temperature sensor (e.g., an EIB/KNX sensor) measures the temperature in degrees centigrade. There is also a movement sensor near the door which registers the entry of any user. At a given time, Nekane enters the room. The room is empty and dark so an actuator turns on a light. At this time the temperature sensor registers a threshold value below that set by Nekane so that the heating valve actuator turns the heating on. Meanwhile, more people enter the room. Some of them are guests and therefore have no associated profile, so that the environment does not adapt to their needs. However, one of them is Gaizka, the home owner. Some parameters are set for Gaizka’s profile in this environment. Meanwhile, the room warms up until the temperature sensor registers a value greater than the upper threshold set by Nekane, perhaps due to the presence of more people. However, Gaizka is in the room and has the highest priority, so that the heating valve does not shut off. After a while, Nekane, Gaizka’s sister, insists that the heating be turned off, which Gaizka does using his PDA, causing the actuator to close the heating valve. When Gaizka sees that everyone is ready, he uses his PDA to start the DVD player and show the film."
Image courtesy of Scientific American (September 1991)
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